Authorities in Tunisia on Wednesday announced they have frozen the assets of football club magnate and former presidential hopeful Slim Riahi on suspicions of money laundering. An investigating judge imposed the restriction on all of Riahi’s shares on the stock market, bank accounts and property, said prosecution spokesman Sofiene Sliti. The announcement comes after the … Read more
Tunisia on Tuesday launched a special “green police” unit aimed at dealing with the proliferation of waste, a scourge that has worsened dramatically since the 2011 revolution. “May God help you — it’s a very difficult mission,” Prime Minister Youssef Chahed said at the launch of the unit, with their new uniforms and GPS-equipped pick-ups. … Read more
Tunisian Prime Minister Youssef Chahed was reported on Sunday as saying no one in the North African country involved in corruption would emerge unscathed in his government’s “war” on graft. Corruption was widespread in Tunisia under longtime president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, who was ousted in the 2011 uprising that spawned the Arab Spring, … Read more
Tunisia declared a “war on corruption” on Wednesday after the arrest of three businessmen and a customs officer on suspicion of graft and financing protests in the North African country. Corruption was widespread under longtime president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, who was ousted in a 2011 uprising, and has remained endemic since. “In the … Read more
A young protester was killed Monday after a national guard vehicle “accidentally” ran him over in south Tunisia, raising fears of more social unrest in a region already rocked by weeks of protest. The death comes as tensions have risen between protesters and security forces outside the El Kamour oil and gas pumping station. Protesters … Read more
A young protester was killed Monday after a national guard vehicle “accidentally” ran him over in south Tunisia, raising fears of mounting social unrest in a region rocked by weeks of protest. The death comes as tensions have risen between protesters and security forces outside the El Kamour oil and gas pumping station. Protesters have … Read more
Tunisia plans to seek UNESCO World Heritage status for the island of Djerba, site of Africa’s oldest synagogue and an annual Jewish pilgrimage, its culture minister said on Sunday. Speaking on the last day of the pilgrimage to the Ghriba synagogue, Mohamed Zine El-Abidine said the island was important for its “cultural and religious uniqueness”. … Read more
Tunisia said Saturday it had replaced two senior officials in a southeastern region, days after protesters there booed the prime minister off stage following weeks of demonstrations. Tunisia has faced a wave of protests and strikes over joblessness, corruption and perceived marginalisation, six years since a revolution ignited by similar grievances. Prime Minister Youssef Chahed … Read more
More than a thousand people demonstrated Tuesday in the southern Tunisian city of Tataouine during a general strike to denounce marginalisation and demand development and jobs, an AFP correspondent said. The city some 500 kilometres (200 miles) south of Tunis on the edge of the desert has been the scene of several protests over the … Read more
The body in charge of organising elections in Tunisia on Tuesday proposed November 26 as the date for holding the first municipal polls since the country’s 2011 revolution. “It is still possible to hold the elections in 2017,” said the president of the electoral body, Chafik Sarsar, at a meeting with Prime Minister Youssef Chahed … Read more
Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, who has rarely appeared in public since a crippling stroke in 2013, is doing “very well”, the country’s prime minister said on Thursday. Speculation has mounted about the veteran president’s health since he suffered a bout of bronchitis in February, forcing German Chancellor Angela Merkel to cancel a scheduled visit to … Read more
The battle against jihadists in Ben Guerdane a year ago was a “turning point” for Tunisia, Prime Minister Youssef Chahed said on Tuesday during a visit to commemorate the anniversary. Jihadist groups mounted a coordinated assault on security installations in the town on the border with Libya last March 7, aiming to win over residents … Read more
German Chancellor Angela Merkel is set to press Tunisian leaders to step up efforts to help curb an influx of illegal migrants to her country during a visit on Friday. Her two-day trip, which also included a stop in Egypt, comes with Germany still reeling from several jihadist attacks, including a truck rampage by a … Read more
Tunisia’s parliament on Wednesday approved a law to fight widespread corruption that has plagued the North African country’s economy since the 2011 revolution. One hundred and forty-five lawmakers out of 217 voted to pass the 36-article law, which criminalises any retribution against whistleblowers including any disciplinary measures against civil servants. “Strong legislation like this helps … Read more
German Chancellor Angela Merkel visits Algeria from Monday to press efforts to get North African countries to reduce the flow of migrants across the Mediterranean into Europe. Merkel, who last week hosted Tunisian Prime Minister Youssef Chahed, is hoping for partnerships with Maghreb countries and Egypt to prevent a new wave of migrants making the … Read more
The two leaders visited the site of the attack The German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, has told her Tunisian counterpart, Youssef Chahed, that she wants to speed up the repatriation of failed asylum seekers. Speaking after talks in Berlin, Mrs Merkel said the current rate of returns wasn’t fast enough. She warned that if people didn’t … Read more
A Tunisian was behind in the Berlin Christmas market attack Tunisia’s Prime Minister Youssef Chahed has dismissed German claims that his country has been slow to take back failed asylum seekers from Europe. German chancellor Angela Merkel is expected to press him on the matter during talks today in Berlin. The issue has taken on … Read more
Tunisia’s prime minister on Tuesday rejected German claims that his country has been blocking the return of rejected asylum seekers including the key suspect in the Berlin attack, hours ahead of talks with Chancellor Angela Merkel. The German leader plans to press Youssef Chahed to speed up the repatriations of Tunisians, with the issue taking … Read more
Mourners held a ceremony at Tunisia’s main airport on Saturday to receive the body of a Tunisian-born victim of the January 29 attack on a Quebec mosque. Boubaker Thabti was among six men killed when a far right-wing student stormed into a mosque in Quebec City during evening prayers and unleashed a barrage of bullets … Read more
Thousands of Tunisian lawyers went on strike on Friday to protest at new taxes and tighter fiscal controls on their profession, extending a series of demonstrations against austerity measures in the 2017 budget. Several hundred attorneys held a symbolic protest outside the palace of justice in downtown Tunis where, dressed in their court gowns, they … Read more